VILLAGERS have saved an historic hotel where Brazilian soccer legend Pele once stayed.

A planning inspector has thrown out two appeals by developers Linden Homes for permission to demolish the Lymm Hotel, in Whitbarrow Road, Lymm, Warrington, to build three or four-storey flats on the site.

Hundreds of Lymm residents opposed the application, along with Lymm parish council and Warrington borough council at a public inquiry last month.

Pele and the Brazilian World Cup squad stayed at the hotel in 1956 - and complained that their sleep was disturbed by trains on the adjoining railway - now the Trans-Pennine Trail.

The inspector who conducted the hearing has now ruled that the first application, involving five four-storey blocks of flats, would be out of character with the surrounding area.

He rejected the second appeal, in which Linden Homes scaled the five blocks down to three storeys, because the borough has an over-supply of housing land.

Coun Sheila Woodyatt, who had fought a long battle against the scheme, said: "This has been a marvellous community effort and well worth all the hard work.

"We have had some appalling appeal decisions in Lymm in recent years which have destroyed much of the character of our village. It is wonderful to be on the winning side at last."